Most Important Word You Speak

The Most Important Word You Speak – “YOU”

‘You’ to ‘I’ Ratio

Use the ‘You’ to ‘I’ word ratio

Using the right word can have amazing benefits.

Have you ever heard a speaker say something like, “Today I’d like to share a story about….” – you ever hear that? Or you hear them say something like, “Today I’m here to tell you…” Did that opening grab you? Did it make you want to listen to know more? Then they say something like “before we get into that I’ll tell you my story…” or “here is what happened to me” or “this is where I am coming from”

Who Cares?

Well, guess what. Nobody cares why you’re here. Nobody cares what you’d like to do. Do you see your Audience sitting there worrying about whether you are nervous or not? When you’re the speaker, nobody cares why you came. What we care about it is what we’re going to get from the experience.

Therefore, whenever you find yourself saying something like, “Today I’d like to share with you…” instead reframe your sentence to be you focused for example say, “Today you’re going to pick up…” or “take home..” or “In the next 45 minutes you’re going to receive….” or “You’re going to walk out of here with….” or ” If you were with us at the market you would have”

You is the most important word in speaking. If I was speaking to you I would ask you to write this down. “It’s never about what I give, it’s always about what you get” – you being the audience, of course. That’s why you is the most important word in speaking. You is Magic, it is singular and it is plural so I can speak to you and you think I am talking to you however I am talking to everyone.

So What!

WIIFM

See, it is up to us to understand that our audiences have a built‐in “So what?” filter, and it constantly seeks to answer the question, “What’s in it for me?” They won’t wait until the end of your story or speech to answer this question before they turn off.

It’s important to do what I call “you‐focused check‐ins” throughout your entire speech. Sit down and rephrase sentences if needed to reduce the I’s, me’s and my’s and increase the you, yours, ours and we within your speech so that the you’s totally dominate. What we call changing the You to I ratio.

You focused speeches keep your audience interested, keep them awake, help them want to know more, make your message important to them, appreciate you more because you are talking about them and not yourself, You is personal, its singular and plural, so clever use means you are talking to everyone and only one.

So this has very practical use everywhere not only as free tips for public speaking or good presentations skills.
What is the most important word for speakers to use?
It’s

Over the years Terry has learned to be a Husband, Father, Grandfather, Keynote Speaker, Presenter, Teacher, Coach, Mentor, Business Owner/Manager, Trainer, Facilitator, Teacher, Sailor, Dancer, Worker, Gardener, Reader, Music Lover and someone who thoroughly enjoys helping people to become better. We are all evolving by learning all the time, how and what we choose to learn makes us who we become. The key to Terrys passionate and enthusiastic approach is savouring the experience of contributing to the growth, action and enjoyment of the individual with their career.

You are so right with the key word being should. You see we are visual creatures, and the research proves figures like Visuals are 60% of our intake, Tone or expression is 30% of our intake and words are 10% . So if you want your words to count they need to be delivered in the best possible way for your audience to absorb and remember your speech.
That is not my research that is from Harvard I believe. I felt the same as you for manny years and refused to accept the figures I have just quoted. I have learnt through conducting my own tests that the above is so close to true I am prepared to accept it
Thanks for your very valid comment
Cheers
Terry